Biological sample processing is an important technique, for example, for researchers and forensic scientists, and the processing of nucleic acids (e.g., DNA and RNA) and other biological material such as proteins has broad applications. Researchers can use processed nucleic acids to determine the genetic causes of diseases as well as to develop remedial therapies such as medicines and vaccines. Forensic scientists, for example, can use processed biological material to determine whether a suspect was the perpetrator of a crime.
The vast array of applications utilizing processed biological material has increased the demand by researchers and forensic scientists for apparatuses automating the protocols for processing (e.g., purifying) biological material. Automation is important for the consistency and reproducibility of biological processing protocols, as well as for chain of custody issues. For example, the ability to ensure that a processing protocol is performed accurately can help to alleviate questions and concerns about whether a particular sample was tainted or contaminated as a result of operator error. By having the ability to place a sample in an apparatus and let the apparatus processes the biological material in the sample without technician or researcher intervention can increase the credibility and reliability of the results of the processing run.
As a result of the demand for automation, a variety of corporations have created apparatuses capable of processing biological material. Some of these machines, such as the Freedom EVO® manufactured by Tecan Trading AG of Switzerland, the Biomek® 2000 Laboratory Automation Workstation, manufactured by Beckman Coulter of Fullerton, Calif., and the Eppendorf® epMotion™, manufactured by Eppendorf of Germany, have relatively high throughput capability. Others, such as the Maxwell™ 16 manufactured by Promega Corporation of Madison, Wis. have lower throughputs. Generally, the apparatuses that automate biological processing protocols are capable of storing a large number of protocols that can be selected by a user based on the particular protocol of interest. Additionally, many of these apparatuses will be used by corporations or institutions that perform basic research as well as forensic and clinical applications.
The potential for multiple setting usage (e.g., a research setting, a clinical setting, and a forensic science setting) of an apparatus increases the number of protocols that must be stored in the memory of the apparatus in order for the apparatus to satisfy the functionality demands of users. A variety of protocols, however, may only have single application functionality. That is, one protocol may be useful only in a basic research setting, whereas another protocol may be useful only in a forensic science setting or in a clinical setting. Despite having applicability in only one setting, each of the two protocols may be similar, or be named similarly, which can create confusion for a user. Any confusion can result in a user selecting the wrong protocol from a displayed list of all available protocols, resulting in error. To eliminate this potential source of confusion, there has been a demand for an apparatus that is capable of culling protocols based on, for example, whether the apparatus will be used only in a research setting or only in a forensic setting.
This invention is directed to satisfying this demand by providing an apparatus capable of having a designated personality. That is, the present invention is directed to a biological sample processing apparatus that allows a user to designate the personality of the apparatus. The personalities may include a forensic personality, a clinical personality, and a research personality, but are not limited thereto. The designation of a particular personality causes only the protocols associated with that personality to be displayed; all other protocols would remain hidden from the user.